Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Designer, Corporate Communications

at Workiva

🏢 About Workiva

Workiva is a leader in integrated ESG reporting, helping organizations streamline climate impact and compliance. This remote-first company values transparency and innovation, making it an exciting place for designers who want to contribute to sustainability through clear, impactful communication.

About This Role

As a Senior Designer in Corporate Communications, you'll craft visual narratives for executive-level presentations, reports, and digital assets that communicate Workiva's mission. Your work will directly support ESG transparency, requiring you to translate complex data into compelling stories while scaling design systems for efficiency.

💡 A Day in the Life

Start your day by reviewing project queues and prioritizing tasks with the corporate communications team. You might spend the morning designing a board presentation in Figma, then iterate on a quarterly report layout in InDesign. Afternoon could involve refining the internal design system and providing feedback on junior designers' work, all while collaborating via Slack and Zoom with colleagues across time zones.

🚀 Application Tools

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🎯 Who Workiva Is Looking For

  • A designer with 6+ years of experience specializing in corporate communications, particularly presentations and reports for executives.
  • Proficient in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite, with a portfolio showcasing mastery of brand systems and template creation.
  • Able to manage multiple high-priority projects independently, iterating quickly based on feedback without losing attention to detail.
  • Passionate about sustainability and ESG, with the ability to simplify complex information into visually clear narratives.

📝 Tips for Applying to Workiva

1

Tailor your portfolio to highlight presentation and report design examples, especially those for executive audiences or complex data.

2

Include a case study showing how you contributed to or scaled a design system, emphasizing templates and component libraries.

3

Research Workiva's ESG reporting platform and mention how your design skills can enhance their corporate communications.

4

In your resume, quantify impact where possible (e.g., 'Designed 50+ executive presentations that improved stakeholder engagement by 30%').

5

Submit a cover letter that explicitly addresses how you handle feedback loops and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Emphasize your experience creating high-stakes materials for c-suite or board-level audiences.', 'Highlight your proficiency with Figma and Adobe Suite, and your ability to work within and evolve design systems.', 'Showcase your ability to manage workload independently and collaborate with cross-functional teams.', "Express genuine interest in ESG and Workiva's mission, linking your design skills to transparent climate communication."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore Workiva's ESG platform and understand how their software helps companies report on climate impact.
  • → Read recent press releases or blog posts about Workiva's corporate communications and design philosophy.
  • → Look at Workiva's own investor presentations and annual reports to see their current design style and branding.
  • → Research the company culture on Glassdoor or LinkedIn to understand their remote work expectations and team dynamics.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through your process for designing a complex annual report from brief to final delivery.
2 How do you prioritize when multiple urgent projects from different stakeholders come at once?
3 Describe a time you had to iterate quickly based on feedback; how did you manage the revisions?
4 How would you approach scaling a design system for corporate communications templates?
5 What experience do you have with ESG or sustainability reporting, and how would you make data visually compelling?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic portfolio without presentation or report examples – this role is specifically about those formats.
  • Ignoring the design system aspect; failing to mention experience with templates or component libraries.
  • Overlooking the remote-first culture – demonstrate self-management and async communication skills in your application.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Workiva!

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